USDA Turkey Roundup Planned for this Weekend in Staten Island

The following is from Goosewatch. I am very upset about this news and I am asking anyone involved with the turkeys if you can deter them from being on the hospital grounds please do so. Their lives depend on it so don't feed them at the hospital. Also please reach out to anyone you think may help..

Joanna

I received a confidential phone call last night with what I believe to be reliable information that the USDA will be returning to South Beach Psychiatric Center in Staten Island sometime this weekend, most likely early Friday or Saturday morning, to capture and kill as many turkeys as possible. The USDA has a contract to remove turkeys from the hospital, but not from the individual property owners in the community. It is estimated that there are currently about 40 turkeys on the property of South Beach Psychiatric Center and another 60 in the surrounding neighborhood.This is difficult to comprehend for many reasons. The turkeys are not posing any imminent threat whatsoever.

My understanding is that USDA only has permission to remove turkeys from the hospital, and otherwise cannot take them at this point in time. Therefore any birds not on the hospitals property will be safe for the time being. This is the exact location of the hospital:South Beach Psychiatric Center 777 Seaview Ave, Staten Island, NY Please visit GooseWatch NYC & Turkey Watch: SAVE the Staten Island Turkeys on Facebook and help coordinate efforts over the next few days to document the USDA as they roundup and slaughter the turkeys or prevent them from being rounded up if possible, which will allow us to achieve our goals of protecting the animals, bringing transparency to government operations, and resolving conflicts between wildlife and human communities. New York City should be a leader in this area. Please contact me if you can help.Thanks,

A group of wild turkeys surrounds Joanna Tierno on Mason Avenue in Staten Island. She loves to see the birds roaming the streets of her neighborhood. Courtesy of David Karopkin hide caption itoggle caption Courtesy of David Karopkin A group of wild turkeys surrounds Joanna Tierno on…Read More